Wednesday, April 17, 2013

I don’t get out and about much in the winter. I don’t ski –
too worried about getting injured and not being able to run or play golf.
Although it sometimes feels like living in a freezer that needs defrosting,
there are still lovely things to see and new friends to meet during the winter
months.

Peace.

Near Cove Island, South Hadley. As the temperatures rise a bit, the snow melts, and a hazy fog forms over the Connecticut River. But there is more cold and snow to come. See below.

Canal Rd., South Hadley. A room with a view. At least the town plowed the road. Which is no use to me. I'll probably stay in today.

Mr. Hairy Woody has stopped banging his head on my gutters. I finally found a recipe that he likes.

Mr. Noisy hangs around most of the winter. Parking his big, loud beak near my bedroom window he cries out for "THE-O-DORE!" Perhaps he is confusing me with a long-lost love. Or someone that owes his some suet.

Ice forms near a waterfall around Upper Pond, Mt. Holyoke College. I wonder what would cause such formations? Bubbles of water rising from the waterfall, probably. It is interesting. But I shrug thinking I should have worn warmer socks.

Near Lower Pond, Mt. Holyoke College. Let us pray. Although we have the ability to adapt to these temperatures, we don't like it. And we pray for an early spring. Amen. Quack!

Frozen waterfall near Whiting Rd. Reservoir in Holyoke. I love the sound of the rushing water. But not today. There is no sound except the wind howling through the naked branches. Too cold for the birds, even.

The river is frozen. My least favorite view of Mt. Tom is during these months. I know it's not easy to get up there. It's cold and windy and the snow is a foot deep on the trails. I have snow shoes but they'll remain in the garage hanging on a nail. I'll stay inside.

Two ducks awake to a black and white movie. Holy Name church in Holyoke rises above the tree line but provides no solace. I'm ready to defrost this area. I'll have to get the double wide drip pan.

The bridge over the canal leading to the river after a morning snowfall. I'm certainly not happy about the footing. I could fall at any moment. I have before.

Mr. Noisy peeks around a snowbank to see if I'm outside. He just drank more than a few cups of coffee and has lots to say. I don't feel like listening.

No, I'm not a crossing guard. I'm just extra careful when I run on the roads during the winter. Snowbanks can limit visibility around crosswalks. And folks are always in a hurry to get to the mall!

Off The Shelf: The Finest Hours by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman

From Booklist: In a 1952 nor’easter, the distress of two ships off Cape Cod initiated a dramatic Coast Guard operation recounted here by coauthors Tougias and Sherman. Both vessels were World War II surplus, cheaply built, unwisely kept in service, and broken in two by the storm. All four halves floated, for the moment, and the authors’ narrative accordingly tracks four separate search-and-rescue efforts that form the complete story. The most prominent, in the press at the time and in official honors conferred afterward, concerned one motorized lifeboat, a puny 36 feet long and manned by four men, dispatched to do battle with the maelstrom’s towering waves. This is the seascape of The Perfect Storm, and the authors do justice to the peril in a tight account of the action. Plotting the course of CG36500, the utilitarian name of the lifeboat captained by Bernie Webber (interviewed for this book), Tougias and Sherman reach their peak of tension in the sink-or-swim moments when mariners abandoned ship and chanced their lives on their rescuers’ skill and bravery. An excellent entry in the disaster-at-sea genre. --Gilbert Taylor

A collision of memories, time and space

Our focus is on Western Massachusetts. Our postings are mostly of common images that folks might come across in their everyday journeys. Wall graffiti, lampposts, ticket booths, street scenes, wildlife, forests and discarded objects are regular themes.
We started blogging with a focus on the history of our families and how the places they have lived evolved over time. We are most interested in how the past and present collide and launching the reader into a place where memories of prior experiences and places mingle with their everyday lives.
-- Bob Genest